Peters



ORDING 4Sheets-Sheet l. E. H. AMBT.-

THE WEIGHT THEREOP.

(No Model.)

AUTOMATIC SCALES FOR WEIGHING RAILRUAD GARS AND RBC (No Model.) 4Sheets-Sheet 2. E. H. AMET. AUTOMATIC SCALES FOR WEIGHINC RAILROAD CARSAND RECORDING THE WEIGHT THEREOI.

Patented Oct. 29, 1889..

N. PETERS. Phewmmgnphf. wnhingnn. D. c,

(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheen s. E. H. AMET.

AUTOMATIC SCALES FCR WEIGHING RAILROAD CARS AND RECORDING THE WEIGHTTHEREOE. No. 413 880.

Patented OoAt. 29, 1889.

N, mins. mmf-on im D. C.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. E. H. AMBT. AUTOMATIC SCALES FOR WBIGHINGRAILROAD GARS AND'REGORDING THB WEIGHT vTHERvfJOP. No. 413,880. PatentedOct. 29, 1889.

u. msn, Mm. WM p. a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDTVARD II. AMET, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HERBERT A.STREE'IER, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC SCALE FOR WEIGHING RAILROAD-CARS AND RECORDING THE WEIGHTTHEREOF.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters :Patent NO. 413,880, dated October29, 1889.

Application filed Tammy 28, 1889. Seria-l No. 297,750. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD II. AMET, a citi zen of the United States,residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Scales for TeighingRailroad- Cars and Recording the TVeights thereof, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic scales Ifor Weighing railroad-cars andprinting the weights thereof.

The invention is designed to automatically Weigh and record the weightsof the several cars coupled in a train without stoppin g the train, theweighing and recording the weight of each car being done while thel carcoupled in the train is drawn over the scale-platform at a reasonablespeed, so that a whole train of cars may be weighed very quickly andeasily. As the cars in a train ordinarily vary materially in length,provision is made by my invention to weigh with equal facility short orlong cars.

ily invention relates more particularly to certain improvements upon thecarscales heretofore patented by me in Letters Patent Nos. 317,1i32,380,672, and 392,531.

The present invention consists in the novel devices and novelcombinations of parts and devices herein shown and described, and moreparticularly pointed out in the claimsL In the accompanying' drawings,which form a part of this specilication, and in which similar lettersoi' reference indicate like parts, Figure l is a side elevation ordiagram view of adevice embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a partial,plan. view. Figs. 3 and et are sections on lines 3 3 and -i lof Fig. 2,respectively. Fig. is an enlarged sectional view of the dash-pot, whichis connected to the scale beam or lever, and showing also the variablecounterpoise. Fig: G is an enlarged detail view of the paper-feed rollsand rubber disk carrying the carbon-paper. Figs. 7 and S are enlargeddetail sections taken on lines 7 '7 and S S, respectively, of Fig. 6.Figs. J and l0 are enlarged detail views of one of the levers adjacentto the track-rail, so as to be operated by thecarlwheels as they passalong on the road. Fig. ll is a detail elevation of the lever whichraises the impression hammer or block, and Fig. l2 is a section on linel2 l2 of Fig. 9.

In said drawings,A represents a scale-plath form having railroad-trackrails a thereon, which connect with the rails c of the track leading tothe scale.

B is the connection from the scale-platform, and B is the scale-beam.The scale, its platform, and beam are or may be of any suitableconstruction known to those skilled in the art or now commonly in use,and of course need no detailed illustration or description.

C is the typewheel, the axle or shaft c of which is journaled onfriction-wheels c', the shafts c of which are journaled uponfriction-wheels cs to still further diminish the friction, The shaft cis furnished with a gear c4, which meshes with a rack l), connected by apivoted link i215 with the scale-beam 5 or other moving part or lever ofthe scale, so that the movement of the scale-platform will turn thetype-wheel.

The scale-beani B is connected to a variable counterpoise D. Thisvariable counterpoise I have heretofore usually made of a coil-spring,as shown and described in my pat-v ents before referred to. I iind,however, in practice that the tension of the coil-spring is subject tomore or less variation, and. to prevent the errors incident thereto Iprefer to employ a variable eounterpoise consisting of apendulunrbalance. The pen dulunrbalance D has a rigid arm d, pivoted atd to the frame E. The upper or short end of the arm d terminates in aneccentric arcshaped head d2, to which is secured a flexible band dfi,preferably a thin hat steel band. The curve of this eccentric is such asto give equal or approximately equal steps to the indezescale d and tothe type wheel C. rI he motion of the counterpoise D is communicated tothe typewheel through the eccentric arcshaped head di, strap CF, leverd, link (if, scale-beam B', and rack t, connected to the scale-beam,which rack meshes with the gear c'l on the shaft of the type-wheel, thecounterpoise D being of course raised or moved by the weight on thescale-platform- The iiexible band or strip di is connected to thescale-beam B', preferably through an intermediate lever d, pivoted at dto the frame E. The lever d5 is IOO connected to the beam by the pivotallink d?. I prefer to connect the variable counter-poise to the long endof the scale-beam, as shown.

F is a dash-pot, vessel, or cylinder, and F is the disk or piston whichmoves therein to steady the movement of the scale-beam and of 'thetype-Wheel, which is operated there-l the scale-beam is moving quickly.By thuscombining a dash-pot having springclosed ports in its piston Withthe scale or `scal`e beam I cause the scale-beam to movesteadily; and atthe same time come to a true bal-l `ance very quickly, both'of`Which`resultsare very important in order to produce asuccess-l ful andpractical scale for automatically Weighing cars'while moving ina trainover the scale-platform. The tension Aof t-he springs 2 is regulated byset-screws f3, threaded in the brackets f4.

G is the impression block or lever, pivoted at g to the frame E,bywhichthe type-Wheel C is made'to print the Weight of each car upon thepaper strip 0c after the scale-beam reaches vthe true'balance and turnsthe type-Wheel to the proper point to indicate -or print the lWeightofthe car. This 'impression'lever` or block is raised by acar-wheel-operated lever G located near the middle of thescale-'platform,.adjacent to one of the rails a thereon'7 so that theWheel of the car will depress or operate the lever as it passes along.The carwheel-operated lever G communicates motion tothe impression-leverG through any suitable connecting mechanism-as, for example, a link g',`bent lever g2, link g3, bent lever g, link-g5, and lever G2. `The -lever'G2 (see Fig. Il) is provided with aspring G to move it back out of theWay ofthe impression-lever G as soon as the car-Wheel passes off of thelever G. The'impressionlever G is held in vits retracted or elevatedposition by a' trigger orvpawl K. The pawl K is pivoted to the frame Eand-is heldin place by a spring K. "A spring G4 actuates the impressionlever or block to make the impression the moment the triggerv or pawl KN are so located or so constructedor jar'- ra'nged that if the car is along one the front wheel of thecar may giveA the necessary final impulseto the leverN at the eXit-'end'of the Vscale-l'alatform beforepassing'oifthe same, While if the car on the platform happens to Ylever, releasing pawl or trigger K. K is actuated at the proper time Abythe cambe a very short one the front hWheel of tlie next succeedingcarrwillgive the necessaryv final impulse to the lever N atthe entry endof theV scale-platform before the front Wheel.

of such succeeding car passes onto the platform. By this means I amenabled to Weigh with equalfacility long or short cars coupledv in amoving train, and Whether the cars approach t-he scale-platform from onedirection or the other.

The car-Wheel-operated devices or levers N N may be of any suitable formor construction and arranged in any suitable manner embodying theprinciple or mode of operation above described. A variety of differentforms of construction which may readily occur to those skilled in theart may be employed. 1I-prefer,V however, to make the or pivot them sothat one part of the lever will project on the scale-platform and ltheotherqpart on-the' trackl beyond lthe scaleplatform, such as shown in'Figs.l 1,9, and 10. The long bar portion nj of the lever N Ais 'thusadapted to bedepressed yby they'front wheel of a long. car on the lscale-platform, orI the front Wheel of the next succeeding car,`which isVj ustapproaching the scale-platform, may strike the similar long bar nof the bail-,shaped lever'N at the other 'end of the scale-'platform.The shaft-or pivot n of each of the bail-levers N N 'is mounted inloose'or open bearings nfso that when the bail-lever is def pressedby awheelon the scale-'platform the ,-end'or portion of the lever which ismounted onthe rigid frame-Work or track outside of thescale-platformwill sustain no part of the Vweight ofY the car. No error in theweightwill thus be occasioned by the fact that one end orpart of thebail-lever N or N is mounted or supported outside lofl thescale-platform, which I deemv to` bey the preferable way of mountingA orpivoting the bail-levers N N. EachA lever N N .has a short arm n3, whichis connected by any suitable intermediate mechanism with the ratchet orcount Wheels -P I3',

(see Fig.'3,)y the shafts p p ofwhich carry cam-Wheels p', which actuatethe'impressio'n- The pawl Wheelsy p p, through the levers 192192,connecting-bar p3, and link p, which is pivoted `to the pawl vK. ismoved to release said impression-lever.

Thev mechanism for communicatingmotion from the short arms n3 ofthebail-leversN N to theratchet or count Wheels may preferably 'consist-of links n4, bent-levers n, links lu,

bent levers n?, links lnB,furnished-with coil springs n?, and slidesnlfcarrying pawls n,

which engage the teeth lof theA ratchet or count Wheels P P. Springs nserve to keep the pawls n in place, and; springs 7113 serve to retractthe slides n10, and thus raise.the bail-levers N N after each impulseimparted fthereto .by the passage of the succeeding wheels of thecars.'- The springs n serve to prevent any excessive strain being putupon 'levers'N N ofla long bail shape and to mount IOO IIO

the mechanism by the car-wheel-operated 1evers N N. The cam-wheels p'are furnished -with a projection or cam p5, one for each four teeth ofthe ratchet-Wheels P P', so thatthe pawl K will be moved at each fourthimpulse of the levers N N', the apparatus being designed for weighingcars having four wheels on a side or running on each rail. Each of theshafts p is furnished with a pointer p,

which indicates on a dial p7 the position of the tripping cams orprojections in relation to the ratchet or count wheels P P and to thenumber of wheels of the car that have passed over the scale-platform.These pointm ers and dials are a matter of convenience in setting theapparatus so that the cam p5 will release the impression-hammer at theproper time, especially as the number of wheels on the locomotive andtender is usually different from the number of wheels on a car. Afterthe locomotive which pulls the train of cars to be weighed and itstender have passed over the scale-platform the pointers p6 should bothbe set at No. 3,0r so that one of the cams 195 will operate the leversp2 at the next or first impulse imparted to each of the levers N N bythe front Wheel of the rst car. The front wheel of the first car when itstrikes the lever N at the entry end of the scale-platform will thusrelease the impression-lever and print a blank or zero Weight before anyof the wheels of the car get onto the scaleplatform. The front wheel ofthe car as it advances to the middle of the scale-platform will thenagain raise the impression-lever by operating the lever G. After theremaining three wheels of the car pass onto the scaleplatform theratchet-wheel P, which is operated by the lever N at the entry end ofthe scale-platform, will have been turned the distance of three teeth,and consequently be in position to release the impression-leverat thenext impulse which it may receive. Now, if the car happens to be a shortone, its front end vwill not strike the lever N' at the exit end of thescale-platform until after the front wheel of the succeeding car strikesand again operates the lever N, and thus releases the impressionleverand prints theweight of the car, and when the front wheel strikes thelever N', as the now-weighted car is passing off, it will of course turnthe ratchet-wheel P', with which it is connected, into position to movethe pawl K and release the impression-hammer; but the printing will notbe repeated, because the impression-lever is already down and will notbe again raised until one of the hind wheels of the car reaches themiddle of the platform and strikes against the lever G', which, throughits connections, operates to raise the impression-lever. If, however,the car happens to be a long one, the front wheel of the car will strikethe lever N', and thus give the necessary final impulse to release thei1npres sion-lever, and so when the front wheel of the succeeding carstrikes the leverN it will of course turn the ratchet and cam wheelsAagainst the type-wheel.

into position for releasing the impression-lever; butthe printing willnot be repeated, because the impression-lever is at this time alreadydown and has not yet been again raised by the passage of any of thewheels over the lever G' at the middle of the scaleplatform. Theimpression-lever G, it will thus be seen, is combined with and operatedby either one of the car-wheel-actuated levers N N', according as thecar happens to be a long or a short one.

The intermediate connecting mechanism by which the motion iscommunicated to the impression-lever or its releasingpawl from thelevers N N may be greatly varied by skilled mechanics Without departingfrom the principle of myv invention; and I desire it to be distinctlyunderstood that my invention is not limited to any particular form ofsuch connecting mechanism. That, however, which I have above describedand shown inA the drawings is the form of connecting mechanism which Iprefer to employ, and which I believe to be the best now known to me forpracticing .my invention.

The paper strip cr is wound upon a supply spool or reel R, and passesaround or over the tension and guide pulleys a' r' r2 r3 r4 to thereceiving reel or spool R'.

S represents a clock-work or spring-motor for driving thereceiving-spool R', and thus causing the paper strip ,fr to feedforward. The movement of the paper strip is regulated by a pawl-leverS', operated at intervals ,by the impression-lever G, and which engagesa ratchet-wheel S2 on the paper-guide pulley r4. By this means the paperstrip is automatically fed forward the space necessary to receive thenext impression.

The impression of the type upon the paper strip may be simply anembossed or indented impression produced by the direct action of theimpression lever or block upon the type- Wheel; but the more improvedmeans which I have devised for this purpose consist of a revolvingelastic disk T, preferably of rubber, carrying on its under face acarbon-paper t. The rubber disk T is stiffened by a card-board disk T',the thin disks being placed Vtogether and clamped between the pulley VT2and the screw-threaded nut or washerfla. The pulley T2 is slowlyrevolved, so as to continually present a new carbon surface to the type,by means of a band T4, driven by a pulley T5, secured on the shaft ofthe guide-roller r'. (See Fig. 6.) The rubber or elastic disk T servesalso to cushion the blow of the impression lever or hammer The feed ofthe paper strip a: and the revolution of the disk T are thusautomatically eected by the carwheel-operated levers on thescale-platform through the impression-lever G and the connectingmechanism vbefore described. The

Adisk T, interposed between the type-wheel and impression-lever, it willbe observed, only bears against the type at the instant IOO IIO

wheel of the car on the platform or by the front wheel of the succeedingcar, according as the car is a long or short one,substantially asspecified.

2. The combination of a car-scale platform with levers N N' at the endof the scale-platform and spanninga portion of thc scale-platform and aportion of the track outside of the platform, whereby one or the otherof said levers may be operated by the front wheel of the car on theplatform or by the front wheel ofthe succeeding car,'according as thecar is a long or short one, and a pair of ratchet or count wheels P P',connected with and operated by said levers N N', substantially `asspecified.

3. The combination, in an automatic carscale with a printing-wheelconnected with and actuated by' the scale, of an impressionlever, and apair of car-wheel-operated levers N N at the ends of the scale-platformand spanning a portion of the scale-platform and a portion of the trackoutside of the platform, whereby one or the other of said levers may beoperated by the front wheel of the car on the platform or by the frontwheel of the, succeeding car, according as the car is a long or shortone, substantially as specified.'

et. The combination of car-scale platform A with levers N N', spanning aportion of said platform and of the track outside of the platwhen thebeam moves quickly, substantially as specified. '7. T he combination, 1na car-scale for weighing cars in motion, of a scale-platform having'spring-valve, and a scale platform having track-rails thereon;substantially as specified. 9. The combination,with'scale-beam B', of avariable counterpoise, a type-wheel, and a dash-pot having a pistonfurnished with two spring-closed ports, one opening up and the otherdown, and a scale-platform having trackrails thereon, substantially asspecified.

10. Thev combination, with scale-beam B', of type-wheel C and variablecounterpoise lD, consisting of a pendulum-balance having an arm d,furnished with an eccentric arc-shaped head d2, and exible band d", forconnecting said pendulum-balance and said beam, substantially asspecified.

1l. The combination, with scale-beam B', of type-wheel C and variableAcounterpoise D, consisting of a pendulum-balance having an arm d,furnished with an eccentric arc-shaped head cl2, and flexible band d3,for connecting said pendulum-balance and said beam, and ntermediatelever d, substantially as speci- 12. The combination, with scale-beamB', of type-wheel C and variable counterpoise D, consisting of a.pendulum-balance having an arm d, furnished with an eccentricarc-shaped head d, flexible band d3, for connecting saidpendulum-balance and said beam, and a dashpot having piston connectedwith said beam, substantially as specified.

13. The combination, in an automatic-printing weighing-scale, with ascale-beam, of a type-wheel connected therewith, and impression lever orblock and disk T, carrying a carbon-paper, substantially as specified.

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14. Thecombination,in an automatic-print- I ing weighing-scale, with ascale-beam, of a type-wheel connected therewith, an impression lever orblock, and a carbon-paper-carrying disk T, and means for revolving saiddisk, substantiallyas specified.

15.v The combination, in an automat ic-print ing weighing-scale, with ascale-beam, of a type-wheel connected:V therewith, an impression leveror block-,'and disk T, consisting of rubber and carrying a carbon-paper,substantially as specified.

16. The combination, in an automatic-printing weighing-scale, with ascale-beam, of the type-wheel connected therewith, and impression leveror block, and a movable elastic disk T, interposed between saidimpressionlever and type-wheels, substantially as specified.

17. The combination, with a scale-beam, of the type-wheel connectedtherewith, an impression lever or block, and a movable elastic disk T,interposed between said impression-L lever and type-wheel, and acarbon-paper t, carried by said movable disk T, substantially asspecified.

18. The combination, with a scale, of a variable counterpoise, atype-wheel C, rack-bar b, gears c', dash-potF and its piston F', havinga spring-closed port, and a scale-platform IIO having track-railsthereon, substantially as specified.

19. The combination, with the scale-platform A, having track-rails athereon, ot' the track ct', leading to the scale-platform, and thebail-shaped levers N N', extending partly on the scale-platform andpartly on the track, substantially as speciiied.

20. The combination, `With an automaticprinting Weighing-scale having aplatform A, furnished with track-rails a, of the lever N, extendingpartly on the scale-platform and partly on the track beyond thescale-platform, substantially as specified,

2l. rlhe combination, with an automaticprinting Weighing-scale having aplatform A, furnished with track-rails a, of the lever N, extendingpartly on the scale-platform and partly on the track beyond thescale-platform, and a similar lever N' at the other end of thescale-platform, substantially as specified.

22. The combination of the scale-platform A with a scale-beam, avariable counterpoise, a type-Wheel, an impression lever or block, andthe car-Wheel-operated levers N N', extending` partly on thescale-platform andpartly on the track leading thereto, substantially asspecified. l

23. The combination of the scale-platform A with a scale-beam, avariable counter-poise, a type-Wheel, an impression lever or block, andthe car-Wheel-operated levers N N', extending partly on thescale-platform and partly on the track leading thereto, a pawl K forholding` said impression-lever raised, said carvheel-operated levers NN' operating` to release said pavvl, substantially as specified.

24. The combination of scale-platform A with a scale-beam, a variablecounterpoise, a type-Wheel, an impression lever or block, and thecar-Wheel-operated levers N N', extending partly on the scale-platformand partly on the track leading,` thereto, a paWl K tor holding saidimpression-levers raised, said carwheel-operated levers N N operating torelease said paivl, mechanism connecting,r said levers N N' and pa-Wl K,and provided With ratchet or count Wheels, so that said pawl will onlybe operated after a certain number of impulses have been imparted tosaid levers N N', substantially as specified.

25. The combination of the scale-platform A with platform and tracklapping` levers N N', the scale-beam, the type-Wheel, theimpression-lever G, the pawl K, the ratchet-Wheels P P', the levers p2p2, the connecting-link p3, and the link p1, substantially as specified.

25. The combination .of the scale-platform A With the platform and tracklapping levers N N', .the scale-beam, the type-\vheel, theimpression-lever G, the paWl K, the ratchet- Wheels P P', the levers292192, the connectingM link p3, the links p4, and the cam-Wheels p',substantially as specified.

27. The combination of the scaleplatform A with the platform and tracklapping levers N N', the scale-beam, the type-Wheel, the impression-lever G, the pawl K, the ratchet- Wheels P, P', the levers p2 p2, theconnectinglink p3, the link p4, the cam-wheelsp, the slides n10, and thevpawls n, substantially as specified.

28. The combination of the slides am, having pawvls et, theratchet-Wheels P P', cam- Wheels 9',levers p2, link p3, pawl K,connected to said link p3, impression-lever G, and type- Wheel C,connected With and actuated by the scale, substantially as specified.

29. The combination of the slides n10, havingpawls n, the ratchet-WheelsP P', cam- Wheels p', levers p2, link p3, paw] K, connected to said linkp3, impression-lever G, and type- Wheel C, connected with and actuatedby the scale, and levers N N on the scale-platform and connected withsaid slidesn, substantially as specified.

30. The combination ol' the slides nl", having pawls n, theratchet-Wheels P P', cam- Wheels p', levers p2, link p, paWl K,connected to said link p", impression -lever G, type- Wheel C, connectedwith and actuated by the scale, levers N N' on the scale-platform andconnected with said slides n10, lever G' on the scale-platform, near themiddle thereof, and connecting mechanism whereby the same operates toraise the impression-lever, substantially as specied.

3l. The combination ot the slides n10, having,` paWls at, theratchet-Wheels P P', cam- Wheels p', levers p9, link p3, paivl K,connected to said link p3, impression -lever G, typewheel C, connectedand actuated by the scale, levers N N' on the scale-platform andconnected with said slides nl, lever G on the scale-platform, near themiddle thereof, and connecting` mechanism whereby the same operates toraise the impression -lever, and a paWl-lever regulating,` the feed ofthe paper and operated by said impression-lever, and thepaper-strip-feeding guiding spools and pulleys, substantially asspeciiied.

32. The co1nbination,ivitha scale-platform, of the levers N N' and Gthereon, ratchet or count Wheels P P', paivl K, impression-lever G, andmechanism, substantially as described, connecting said parts,substantially as specified.

ln an automatic car-scale, the combina tion, with a scale-platformhaving track-rails thereon, of a device at each end of the scaleplattormadjacent to the track-rail adapted to be operated by the passage' of thecar- Wheels, and an impression-lever connected and operated by one orthe other of said car- Wheel-actuated levers, according as the car is alongI or a short one, substantially as specitied.

EDlVARD H. AMET.

Witn ess es 2 H. M. Muivgoitv, EDMUND Ancock.

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